Viral infections are one of the most devastating and feared biological health threads known to mankind. Some species of virus envelop themselves in a modified form of one of the cell membranes, either the outer membrane surrounding an infected host cell or internal membranes such as nuclear membrane or endoplasmic reticulum, thus gaining an outer lipid bilayer known as a viral envelope. The influenza virus and HIV are known to use this strategy. Most of these ‘enveloped viruses’ are dependent on the envelope for their infectivity. Other virus species do not have such envelope and possess a nucleocapsid instead, which is a protein capsid that covers the genome of the virus. These viruses are known as ‘naked viruses’ with parvoviruses, papovaviruses, adenoviruses, polioviruses and reoviruses being only some examples of this group.
In order to keep viral infections low, disinfectants and antiseptics are applied to non-living and living objects, respectively, to destroy the microorganisms being present on these objects. Alcohol such as ethanol and isopropanol is a prevalent component of these substances which are widely used particularly for disinfecting hands and other parts of the skin, as well as surfaces and surgical tools. The great advantage of an alcohol as major disinfecting substance is to be seen in its instantaneous activity against microorganisms so that surfaces treated with an alcohol as disinfectant can be further used after a only a short period of time. Another advantage of alcohol based disinfectants is the residue-free evaporation of the active ingredient which minimizes any subsequent contact with potentially harmful remainders on the treated surface and also renders superfluous any subsequent rinsing with water or the like.
The prior art describes a number of disinfectants and antiseptics having alcohol as major component and/or active ingredient.
EP 0 176 720 discloses a mixture comprising at least 70 wt % of ethanol or methanol and 1-10 wt % of glycerol. The mixture is said to be effective against naked viruses.
EP 0 556 546 discloses a virucidal disinfecting composition comprising at least 60 wt % of an alcohol such as ethanol, isopropanol and/or n-propanol, and a Lewis acid.
EP 1 685 854 discloses a virucidal disinfectant with broad spectrum activity, particularly for disinfecting hands. It comprises one or more phosphorus compounds and their salts, alcoholic components in an amount of 30-80 wt %, and one or more polyalkylene glycols. The amount of the phosphorus compounds or their salts is indicated to be 0.2-1.5 wt %.
EP 2 196 090 discloses a virucidal disinfectant based on alcohol, comprising at least 50 wt % and less than 80 wt % of alcoholic main component, at least one acidic compound and urea.
However, commercially available disinfectants having an alcohol content in the range of about 60 wt % or less do not exhibit any virucidal activity against naked viruses such as polio virus. On the other hand, a high amount of alcohol necessary to destroy both naked and enveloped viruses has several drawbacks such as a strong grade of evaporation, possible adverse effects on the material applied to, adverse effects on skin, and being highly flammable just to name a few.
Thus, the objective of the present invention is to provide a disinfectant or antiseptic containing alcohol in a maximum amount of about 60 wt % for a quick and essentially residue-free disinfection of surfaces and skin.